In a statement Norad said: "This year, NTS and Google mutually agreed to go in new directions, and we are excited to welcome a number of new contributors, to include Microsoft, Windows Azure, Bing, and iLink-systems, among others, to help us in our mission of tracking Santa".

Google's Santa Tracker will be tracked via a new and highly complex algorithm (Google said) which will let users follow the red-suited gentleman around the world including individual cities from 24 December.

So if you or your children want to follow Santa's progress like a Fedex package this Christmas, they'll be spoiled for choice.

No word from Apple yet, however - we have a feeling Father Christmas won't be relying on their maps this year...